History of Egypt From 330 B.C. To the Present Time, Volume 12 (of 12)Rappoport, A. S. (Angelo Solomon)
History
History of Egypt From 330 B.C. To the Present Time, Volume 12 (of 12)
Rappoport, A. S. (Angelo Solomon)
Egypt -- History
In so far as the cry raised of "Egypt for the Egyptians" was a protest
against forcing the Egyptians to pay for an assumed indebtedness
which was at least four times greater than anything they had actually
received, no movement was ever more just and righteous than the protest
of the fellaheen against foreign control, a movement which has been
chiefly associated with the name of Arabi Pasha. The issue of Ismail's
financial troubles was most ignominious and disastrous to Egypt,
after nearly a hundred years of heroic struggles to keep pace with the
progress of modern Europe. Had Ismail modelled his career upon that of
his illustrious grandfather, rather than that of Napoleon III.,
with which it shows many striking parallels, it is probable that the
advantage secured to Egypt through the British occupation might have
resulted in political and financial independence. When the crash came,
and the order for his deposition was sent by the sultan, Ismail resigned
the khedivate in complete submission; and, taking away with him a large
private fortune and a portion of the royal harem, he spent the remainder
of his life in retirement at Naples and Constantinople, and was buried
with solemn pomp in the royal cemetery at Cairo.
[Illustration: 190.jpg PART OF CAIRO, SHOWING THE MULQUFS ON THE HOUSES
OF MODERN EGYPT]
[Illustration: 191.jpg PAGE IMAGE]
CHAPTER IV--THE BRITISH INFLUENCE IN EGYPT
_Ismail deposed: Tewfik Pasha: Revolt of Arabi Pasha: Lord Wolseley and
the Battle of Tel-el-Kebir: The Mahdist Rising: General Gordon in the
Sudan: Death of Gordon: The Sudan abandoned and re-conquered: Battle of
Onidurman: Khartum College: Financial Stability: Abbas II.: Education,
Law, and the improved condition of the Fellaheen: The Caisse de la
Dette_
The official deposition of Ismail Pasha by the sultan of Turkey, Abdul
Hamid, occurred on June 26, in the year 1879, and his son Tewfik assumed
the khedivate, becoming practically the protege of England and Egypt. To
understand how this came to pass, it is necessary to review the account
of the financial embarrassments of Ismail. In twelve years he had
extracted more than $400,000,000 from the fellaheen in taxes. He had
borrowed another $400,000,000 from Europe at the same time, of which
nominal sum he probably received $250,000,000 in cash. The loans were
ostensibly contracted for public works. Possibly ten per cent, of the
borrowed money was profitably laid out. The railways were extended;
Upper Egypt was studded with sugar factories,--most of them doomed to
failure,--and certain roads and gardens were made about the city of
Cairo.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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